This is not football
Growing up half way between Ohio State University and the University of Michigan, I understand rivalries. I get it. I had friends who wouldn't date fans of the other team, who wouldn't speak to other fans for a week prior to and after the "big game", who wouldn't speak to me because I did not understand what the big deal was. I thought it was silly, I mean over a football game? But I got over it. Mostly, it was in good fun.
I hate that this presidential election is reminding me of the "big game." People watch the debates and only see what they want to see. I know that this is part of the human condition, but so far as far as I can see no one has made a complete ass of themselves in the debates. Depending on which team my friends are rooting for, either Biden was a complete jerk talking down to everyone in America, or Palin smiled, winked, spoke no complete sentences and breastfed behind the podium. I don't think either of these are accurate views.
But no one is willing to give any recognition that the other side may have a valid point. No matter how left or right you are you don't believe in every single thing a candidate says. In fact most of us think (even if it is in complete secrecy) that at least one of our candidates ideas is pretty idiotic. That the other side is right on that issue.
I just feel like all of this is way more important than a football game, and we should stop watching it as though it is one. It is complicated, people agree and disagree with everyone in varying degrees, and feel that different things are important in varying degrees. Some of the smartest people I know COMPLETELY disagree with me. That doesn't make them any less intelligent, or even wrong. It just makes us different. Which is probably why I like them so much.
I am not surprised that my sisters ignore politics all together until the weekends before the election. Too much name calling, too much bickering, too much nastiness, and I am not talking about the candidates. I am talking about everyone who is talking about the election. I know it is hard, I have strong opinions too, but the nastiness is not helping people ask "what is best?" It is only making people ask "is my side winning?"
I hate that this presidential election is reminding me of the "big game." People watch the debates and only see what they want to see. I know that this is part of the human condition, but so far as far as I can see no one has made a complete ass of themselves in the debates. Depending on which team my friends are rooting for, either Biden was a complete jerk talking down to everyone in America, or Palin smiled, winked, spoke no complete sentences and breastfed behind the podium. I don't think either of these are accurate views.
But no one is willing to give any recognition that the other side may have a valid point. No matter how left or right you are you don't believe in every single thing a candidate says. In fact most of us think (even if it is in complete secrecy) that at least one of our candidates ideas is pretty idiotic. That the other side is right on that issue.
I just feel like all of this is way more important than a football game, and we should stop watching it as though it is one. It is complicated, people agree and disagree with everyone in varying degrees, and feel that different things are important in varying degrees. Some of the smartest people I know COMPLETELY disagree with me. That doesn't make them any less intelligent, or even wrong. It just makes us different. Which is probably why I like them so much.
I am not surprised that my sisters ignore politics all together until the weekends before the election. Too much name calling, too much bickering, too much nastiness, and I am not talking about the candidates. I am talking about everyone who is talking about the election. I know it is hard, I have strong opinions too, but the nastiness is not helping people ask "what is best?" It is only making people ask "is my side winning?"